\tJulie Rovner
\n\tKFF Health News<\/p>\n
\t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\tJulie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News\u2019 weekly health policy news podcast, \u201cWhat the Health?\u201d A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book \u201cHealth Care Politics and Policy A to Z,\u201d now in its third edition.\t\t<\/p>\n Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump\u2019s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, came under sharp questioning from Democrats and some Republicans at his confirmation hearings this week before two Senate committees. Of particular interest were the doubts about Kennedy\u2019s qualifications and past anti-vaccination positions raised by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who is a physician \u2014 and, notably, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which is expected to vote next week on whether to advance Kennedy\u2019s nomination to the Senate floor.<\/p>\n \u00a0Meanwhile, a federal government memo temporarily freezing a lot of federal grant and loan funding touched off confusion and recriminations at the new Trump administration for its sudden, sweeping actions.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet.<\/p>\n \tSarah Karlin-Smith \t\t\t \t\t\t \tSandhya Raman \t\t\t \t\t\t Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n During appearances before two Senate committees, Kennedy assured lawmakers he would follow science and defer to Trump\u2019s policy preferences. But he also made mistakes that are notable for someone vying to lead the nation\u2019s top health agency, such as confusing the Medicaid and Medicare programs.<\/p>\n As Kennedy\u2019s second hearing concluded, it was not immediately clear whether he would earn the votes needed to be confirmed by the full Senate \u2014 especially as at least one key Republican, Cassidy, seemed less than convinced. If every Democrat and independent votes against him, Kennedy could lose just a few GOP votes and still be confirmed.<\/p>\n Much of the nation\u2019s health system \u2014 alongside many, many other entities that rely on federal funding \u2014 experienced a kind of whiplash early this week, as the Trump administration\u2019s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo freezing federal grants and loans until they could be reviewed for adherence to Trump\u2019s priorities. A federal judge temporarily blocked the freeze from taking effect, and OMB revoked the memo \u2014 but the White House said Trump\u2019s recent executive orders affecting funding \u201cremain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.\u201d<\/p>\n In other Trump administration news, Trump fired a slew of inspectors general late last week \u2014 including the one who oversees HHS and the nation\u2019s health system. And an executive order affecting health care for trans children has many parents and advocates on edge.<\/p>\n Also this week, Rovner interviews Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor, who explains how the federal regulatory system is supposed to operate to make health policy.<\/p>\n\n Plus, for \u201cextra credit,\u201d the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:<\/p>\n Julie Rovner:<\/strong> 404 Media\u2019s \u201cMedical Device Company Tells Hospitals They\u2019re No Longer Allowed to Fix Machine That Costs Six Figures<\/a>,\u201d by Jason Koebler.<\/p>\n Sandhya Raman:<\/strong> ProPublica\u2019s \u201cDozens of People Died in Arizona Sober Living Homes as State Officials Fumbled Medicaid Fraud Response<\/a>,\u201d by Mary Hudetz and Hannah Bassett.<\/p>\n Sarah Karlin-Smith:<\/strong> CBS News\u2019 \u201cWind-Blown Bird Poop May Help Transmit Bird Flu, Minnesota\u2019s Infectious Disease Expert Warns<\/a>,\u201d by Mackenzie Lofgren.<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cTrump\u2019s Funding \u2018Pause\u2019 Throws States, Health Industry Into Chaos<\/a>,\u201d by Phil Galewitz.<\/p>\n \tFrancis Ying \tEmmarie Huetteman To hear all our podcasts,\u00a0click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n And subscribe to KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cWhat the Health?\u201d on\u00a0Spotify<\/a>,\u00a0Apple Podcasts<\/a>,\u00a0Pocket Casts<\/a>, or wherever you listen to podcasts.<\/em><\/p>\n KFF Health News<\/a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF\u2014an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tRead Julie’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\tPanelists\t<\/h3>\n
\n\tPink Sheet<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@SarahKarlin\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRead Sarah’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\tCQ Roll Call<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tRead Sandhya’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\tCredits\t<\/h3>\n
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